Katniss Everdeen: Demon Hunter
by hungergamesfanficjam
Summary: Katniss Everdeen has been a Demon Hunter for centuries, resigned to her life but everything changes when one night, a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed nemesis saves her and Gale Hawthorne from certain death. Meanwhile, she must also stop a human who is hell-bent on selling his soul in exchange for world domination. Multi-author fanfic challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Katniss Everdeen - Demon Hunter**

**Welcome to the first ever Hunger Games Fanfic Jam. The purpose of this challenge is to create a multi-chapter, community designed fanfic. Each Chapter will be written by a different author. To read subsequent chapters as they come out, be sure to visit The Hunger Games Fanfic Jam Forum here on ffnet for more information or check out .com. Or just follow/favorite this fic!**

**Glossary of Terms (written by ct522/titania522)**

Angels: Original supernatural being who manage the Guardians and obscure affairs in the universe. Associated with goodness and kindness, they guide human beings and are drawn to beauty, kindness and self-abnegation.

_Example: Annie, Thresh, Rue, etc._

Blood Demons: Human beings who have opted, through free choice, to give up their souls in exchange for great power. Rare beings, they are considered abominations. A powerful warlock is required to perform the magic necessary to make the conversion.

_Example: Cornelius Snow, Adolf Hitler, etc._

Defiants: Rare creatures who defy their original species in temperament, abilities or alliances. These include Guardians who ally themselves to Demons, Nephilim who become human-like, demon hunters who betray their kind.

_Example: Peeta, etc.?_

Demon: Original supernatural being of intense evil and cruelty. Come from the ranks of angels who have changed allegiance with demons. Drawn to power, corruption, cruelty and carnal pleasure.

_Example: Thread, random demons, etc._

Demon Hunter: A human given special characteristics which make them superior warriors with extreme longevity, speed and power. Their purpose is to kill demons. We never learn who exactly gives them these powers. Some think it is God. Some think it is just one of those things.

_Example: Katniss, Gale, Johanna, Finnick, etc._

Guardian: A human infused with a supernatural essence in manner similar to Demon Hunters that gives them special abilities such as superior healing. Designed to comfort, guide and heal but can fight when necessary.

_Example: Prim, etc._

Human beings: Mortal creatures who live oblivious to the existence of supernatural creatures. Possess a conscience and free will to express their preferences for good and evil. Capricious by nature, they nevertheless aspire to goodness and self-actualization. Not everyone is convinced of their innate goodness but Demon Hunters and Guardians are sworn to protect human beings against the creatures of the dark.

_Example: Madam Trinkett, Master Heavensbee, Octavia, Flavius, Thom, Delly, etc._

Nephilim: Half demon/ half human male being usually the result of a male angel or demon mating with a human female.

_Example: Marvel, Cato, Brutus, Greek heroes of the Trojan War, etc._

Nephilin: Half demon/half human female being usually the result of a male angel or demon mating with a human female.

_Example: Clove, Glimmer, etc._

Warlocks and Witches: Human beings who have developed the gift of practicing magic and manipulating the energies in the universe. All humans possess these abilities but they have been lost in the modern world with rare exceptions. They can perform rites such as Blood Rituals and cures for curses.

_Example: Madam Trinkett, Master Heavensbee_

**XXXXX**

**A million thanks to SolasVioletta for the excellent beta-ing, Miss_Maia for making sure my lore was straight, plumgal1899 and famousfremus for reading the fic through. Be sure to come visit me at .com. My penname here on ffnet is ct522.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Katniss Everdeen – Demon Hunter**

**The way this challenge works is each author takes on a chapter. There is a special outline given to participating writers from which they write. Once that is complete, it is posted here for readers to enjoy. Each author has about three weeks from the time the previous author posts to write their chapter. At the end of the chapter, the writer posts a plot twist for the following writer. It is an experiment that depends on the good-faith of our writers and we appreciate your taking the time out to read this. **

**Chapter 1 – The Clear-Eyed Goddess (ct522/titania522)**

When the pulsing alarm went off, Katniss had to suppress the urge to smash it against the concrete walls of her warehouse apartment. She lay a few moments longer, enjoying the delicious tendrils of sleep as they slowly receded, leaving her to wake in the damp chill of an unseasonably cold October evening. She'd fallen asleep almost as soon as she could pull her torn tank-top and ripped leather pants off of her battle-worn body and drag herself into a hot shower to scrub the gore and grime from her hair and skin. It had been a rough night – a long while since she'd had to fight three demons off at the same time. The poor devils didn't realize the odds were against them – even on nights when there were no underworld creatures to tame and destroy, Katniss maintained her vigilance. She was a lethal instrument of destruction – the very best of her kind.

She stretched her body, moving into the Savasana pose that she'd been utilizing for centuries before yoga had become a suburban fad. Her body did not age and was changed slowly but she was not fully immortal either and therefore took great pains to take care that her body did not forget how to survive the dark creatures that plagued the mortal world. She was a warrior and fighting was as much a state of mind as of body. Her routine helped to keep her focus on the reason for which she existed – to keep the human world safe from the torments of the underworld. After all, she had not willingly chosen this existence – it had been a long-ago act of loving sacrifice and she was determined to carry out her responsibilities to the best of her ability.

As happened every day and night of her long, twilight existence, Katniss thought back to the reason for her condition, the factors that had created the necessity of her taking on the mantle of Demon Hunter, a state of incredible power and yet also of relentless abnegation. Like the lilting songs they sang as children in the wild meadows of her ancestral home, her younger sister's face floated before her, causing her heart to seize with mournful longing. They'd lived in innocent simplicity, a situation brought on by the unfavorable marriage of her high-born mother with her highlander father. Lady Samara was of the noble house of MacGregor of the Scottish highlands but ran off with Campbell of the Everdeen clan the moment she heard him singing at the annual Beltane festival. As the name of the festival implied, it was a celebration of fire and appropriately, the all-consuming fires of Samara and Campbell's love had been kindled there.

This act of passionate elopement resulted in the loss of Samara's titles and wealth but, when mother spoke of it, she swore to her daughters that what she had gained in return was a life rich in love and the bounty of two magnificent daughters – her fierce grey-eyed Katniss, in body and spirit the image of her proud father and sweet Primrose, gentle as the song of the mourning doves they woke to in the early mist-drenched hours of dawn. Even at a young age, Katniss had demonstrated her ferocity as a hunter with her horse-hair bow and finely sculpted arrows, defying the expectations for highland girls in an age very different from the one in which girls were raised today.

Katniss donned her gloves and unlatched the heavy punching bag, tapping it slowly to warm her muscles but as the memories came over her, her blows became fiercer and angrier. Her destiny had ensnared her in chains of unbreakable inevitability the moment her clan had been attacked by the warmongering McLeods of the north. Even with the alliance of the Hawthornes and Undersees, their clans had not been able to resist the ravenous thirst for conquests of the northern warriors. It was then that Katniss experienced the grip of evil that forced her down the lonely path she walked today – the murder of her mother and father, the hellish captivity together with her sister as she and her clans-women were dragged through the dark woods of the Scottish forest. There was no question what fate awaited them; mere chattel to be used for the pleasure of brutes.

It was then that her salvation arrived to both liberate and bind her for eternity.

She never learned the name of the apparition that had come to deliver them from their captivity. She only remembered the eyes, a burnished gold the color of honey interspersed with bronze, lit up by a light internal to the creature. The hair, the eyelashes – an exquisite being of such luminous virtuosity that she could barely look it in the face and even in the condition of being caught between strange supernatural beings and the proximity of a humiliating death, every atom in her body quivered before its beauty. To think that her sister would become something like that quieted her blood somewhat.

He was there by virtue of their blood and a prophecy written in the ancient stones of the druid sacrificial stones:

**Two sisters, born of the eternal house of the forest -**

**One the soft lady of morning;**

**One the clear-eyed goddess of night**

**One to herald the light of the souls of men**

**One to battle the dark creatures of the damned -**

**Will destroy the reign of Winter.**

The gentle, radiant angel, for she had no other description for what it was, explained the awful compromise. They would both live but not in the form they were used to. And they were free to choose their fate – there was nothing in the prophecy that indicated which sister would hold the light, and which would be bound to the night. But to Katniss, there was no other choice to be made. The soft blond braids and powdered innocence of Prim's blue eyes were not made to do battle with the darkness.

And so Katniss had taken the dark prophecy onto herself. She watched as Primrose ascended into the ranks of what she later learned were the Guardians. Their salvation meant they would be separated forever by their duties, as the sun must forever be hidden from the moon. Katniss had screamed her grief into the night but it was rage that would fuel her for centuries thereafter; the fire that consumed the host of invaders that night as they tried to escape her newborn powers. It was not a good night to have the name McLeod as she chased down every last warrior until the tree trunks of the forest were stained with their blood. It was then that she'd tasted the bitter draught of vengeance and found it was a flavor that would never leave her mouth again.

Even with her power, her greatest obstacle was fear. Katniss had seen creatures so terrifying, beings so bent on hatred and destruction that even now, she sometimes wished she could turn away from the stench of evil and hide under the rustling folds of her mother's skirts. She almost died of terror the first time her bow, which had mysteriously appeared beside her that fateful night, whispered where she should go, what her duty was, and how to find the others like her. Instead of meeting her ilk right away, she had stumbled upon a half-breed so sadistic, Katniss had barely been able to fight it off, all the while wailing in desperation. Because she was alone in the universe, and no one heard her cries…

Katniss' reverie was interrupted by the snapping of metal and the simultaneous sound of smashed glass. Her blows had flown so powerfully, she'd sent the punching bag through the window of her flat. Wiping the stream of sweat that had broken out over her brow, she shook her head to rid it of the memory of that awful night. She'd taken on this persona and all of the denials it represented – deep friendship, companionship, love – but she accepted, even embraced it with stoic fatalism. Somewhere, in a place of light and goodness, was her sister. Safe and eternal. She could endure this for an eternity, if she had to. This was her only comfort.

**XXXXX**

When she had fully dressed, she slipped out onto the fire-escape and slid down the unused ladder to the damp ground. At first, all she could see of him was the burning tip of his smoldering cigarette but as she got closer, Gale's familiar features came into focus. His thick hair was dark brown tonight, which made him look so much younger than other nights, when he painted his hair every color under the sun. Katniss and Gale resembled each other so much, they looked like brother and sister – the same clear-grey eyes, ebony colored hair and olive skin. In fact, they _were_ distant cousins – the Everdeens and Hawthornes shared a common ancestry and at one time formed two sides of the triumvirate of clans of middle Scotland. The third was the Undersee clan and, like Gale and Katniss, the only survivor of that clan was Madge Undersee.

She was wrong about the cigarette – it was an electronic cigarette, an elaborate ebony-colored shaft with two solid gold bands around the middle. Simple. Elegant. Probably cost him a fortune.

He caught her staring at the cigarette and smiled. "Hey, at least it's not a Shisha Stick. I have class, you know."

Katniss rolled her eyes at him, picturing in her mind a diamond and Swarovski crystal-studded device that was ultra-tacky in addition to being ultra-expensive.

"It's still smoking, Gale."

"Yeah, but these do a lot less harm. Come to think of it, the other ones didn't do any harm either, at least to me. But with these, you can get different flavors. I'm smoking mint green tea tonight." He said as he took another puff.

She took a whiff of the vapors and was reluctant to admit that the herbal and minty smell actually pleased her. "Like I said. It's still smoking."

Gale slung his arm around her shoulder. "Big difference. Trust me."

Katniss shrugged as they walked down the wide avenue. "We're heading to Hoboken tonight." She muttered.

"Yeah, that's what my bow's telling me too. Sucks." Gale groused.

Katniss simply nodded. Hoboken was now part of the Gold Coast. Enterprising developers had bought out the entire waterfront facing the City from Hoboken all the way up to West New York. The inner areas were still interesting and diverse, filled with pockets of Polish, Italian, Indian, Puerto Rican and Portuguese immigrants but the coast itself was populated with exclusive high-rises and gated residences, while a bustling mini-Wall Street stole trading firms from across the river and lured them with cheap rent and low taxes to downtown Jersey City. The multitude of clubs and restaurants were filled with young urbanites or college students looking to get drunk or get laid (mostly both). The old area had lost its charm of 30 years ago, when Hoboken could still boast of being the blue-collar hometown of Frank Sinatra. Somehow, the move from cozy neighborhood bars and old railroad brownstones to a chic club-hopping strip and refurbished buildings had destroyed the town's credibility. Katniss understood why Gale did not enjoy visiting the place anymore.

"Used to be, people could walk down to the waterfront and go crabbing at all hours of the night. Now, you can't even get near the water without police running you off." complained Gale.

"We can go where we want." Katniss said, trying to cut off his usual rant against privatization and Capitalism because that's where all his rants ended up.

"The world isn't for _us_, Catnip. We can do almost whatever we want. But the world belongs to them…" Gale cocked his head toward the teaming traffic, "It makes me angry that a handful of human beings think that, because they're rich, they have the right to enjoy their advantages at the expense of everyone else."

"It's been like that for an eternity, Gale. As long as people have been around." observed Katniss.

"Doesn't make it right." He said softly. "Those instincts are encouraged and fostered by the underworld."

Katniss took a deep breath at what looked like the start of their usual argument. "Those _instincts_ are not all the responsibility of the dark world. Human beings carry the seed of darkness inside of them. It doesn't require a whole lot for them to go off the rails."

Gale shook his head. "I agree that we carry a propensity for evil inside of all of us but I think there is more good than evil in people. It can be cultivated."

"For some, I think you are right. But for others - not. I think some people are just worse than others. Individuals tend to give in to their baser instincts very easily."

Gale stopped and suddenly turned towards Katniss, forcing her to stop also. "You would have more faith in humanity if you would let yourself be less miserable." He said, a look of compassion suffusing his features.

Katniss' eyes blazed with a burst of her impetuous temper. "Why don't you worry more about the blood-thirsty nightcrawlers and Nephilim and leave my personal misery to me?

Gale threw his hands up in defeat and fell silent as they made their way to the last ferry ride of the evening. They could have taken the underground, especially on a blustery evening like this but Katniss preferred to take the ferry anytime she could and had the schedule practically memorized. She loved the sound of the swishing water, the engine whirring dully through the waves. It was a sound that reminded her of home – the lonely hum of the wind on the coastline in the early morning grey while the sea crashed at her feet. She observed the lonely figure of the Stature of Liberty, standing proud and alone in the middle of the waves, greeting everyone in the port with a bored distraction, as if she didn't have the patience anymore to do what she'd been doing for so long. Katniss could identify with her – lonely, fulfilling an obligation that barely excited her any longer, if it ever did - wishing she was anyone else than the person she was now.

It was easy for Gale to talk. He at least had Madge.

**XXXXX**

They made their way down towards the Institute. Housed in old brick buildings, perched carefully on the edge of the rock outcropping overlooking the Hudson River, The Institute was a noble, old place. Katniss didn't know what happened within those walls but she knew that it had a good reputation. She stemmed the endless fountain of longing that resided in her chest when she watched students trickle out of the campus library. She would have given any amount of money to be one of those students, lost in their books and oblivious to the constant pulse of drama that existed just beyond the circle of their little lives.

At the end of the campus was the George G. Howard building overlooking the rocky outcropping that represented the highest point on campus. The building itself was the tallest one in Hoboken and stood like a miniature chihuahua, defiantly facing down the truly enormous mastiff skyscrapers of the Wall Street district right across the river. If someone had asked Katniss how she knew she needed to be here, tonight, of all places, she would not be able to explain the way her bow spoke to her and led her where she needed to go. Some nights it was silent and she could immerse herself in the solitude of her small home. But on the nights she was drawn out to the cold, dark corners of the city, it was less a message in spoken words than a melody that invaded her mind and carried her to the places where she was most needed. Lately, her bow had been keeping her busy and on some fortunate nights, Gale's crossbow would lead him to her also, mitigating the solitude of her demonic hunts.

As they descended the rocky outcropping by way of a maintenance path along the face of the almost non-descript cliff, they heard before they saw the small group. A low chant drifted in the midst of the high bushes on a flat slab of rock cantilevered from the vertical stone face. It seemed like a terribly obvious spot to carry on a ritual – the river wasn't that wide across and a blast of inhuman light from a spell would be clearly visible against the darkness of the outcroppings to the apartment windows of the high-rises facing the town. However, there was powerful magic at work tonight and someone – a warlock or witch - had thrown up a cloak of invisibility and maintained it against the prying eyes of mortals. Humans might be deceived by this trick but Katniss, Gale and the whole race of Demon Hunters were immune to such subterfuge.

There was a group of six, four of whom were enormous in size compared to the two shorter people, the ones Katniss assumed to be human. One was clearly the leader, as he led the ritual and held a knife that he was heating over an iron basket of coal briquettes. The four hulking forms made something clench inside of Katniss. She recognized them as Nephilim, half-human, half demon creatures without souls or conscience. They were tall and unbelievably beautiful, true to their supernatural roots but ruthless and cruel like no other earthly creature could ever be. They had tremendous appetites – they ate with gusto, enjoyed comforts and wealth and bedded women like Lotharios. It was their appetites that held them in check and kept them from worse excesses for they loved carnal pleasure and had discovered long ago that it was easier to satisfy them if they remained incognito among humans.

Nephilim were traditionally associated with the time of Noah, when fallen angels desired human women and lived among them, fathering these creatures but they actually existed long before the flood. These were the type of creatures that Katniss was tasked to hunt and either destroy or capture.

The pentagon on the ground glowed with an eerie, yellow light as the hunched figures moved in unison around it. Katniss' hairs stood on end – despite the urban myths surrounding pentagons and witchcraft, it was rare for these rituals to actually take place. For them to occur, they required powerful magic not only to sustain the rites but to control the consequences. And certainly, humans were never a part of those rites. Unless…

"Gale, it's a Blood Ritual!" Katniss hissed.

Gale froze as he took in what Katniss said. "No one's done a Blood Ritual in almost a eighty years." he said.

"Some foolish mortal is trading in their soul. They don't know what they're asking for." She exclaimed in exasperation. "It's an abomination!" The last time a human gave up their soul in exchange for power, it eventually resulted in World War II and the destruction of millions of human lives.

Gale flipped his crossbow out from under his long leather coat. "You ready to bust up this party?"

The adrenaline began to course through Katniss' veins. As terrifying as these creatures were, she was a hunter at heart and there was something about tracking and conquering them that stirred her bloodlust. She was sitting on centuries of frustration and anguish and nights like these went a long way towards helping her gain some temporary relief.

Winking in a rare display of flirtatious abandon, she gave Gale a hungry smile. "Let's bring Haymitch something he can set on his mantle." She practically purred, invoking the name of the oldest known Demon Hunter and their sometimes leader, when Katniss cared to acknowledge him.

The night air rushed by them as they loaded their arrows. The finely wrought tips came alive with an unearthly glow – it was made with one of the rare alchemic substances that could take down a Nephilim long enough for a Hunter to capture or destroy it. The arrows sprung from their bows in unison, slicing the air with a high pitched whine that no human could hear but by the time the arrow had announced its presence, two of the Nephilim were already on the ground.

However, the other two leapt with lightning speed in the direction of Gale and Katniss. The advantage of surprise was gone yet Katniss let another arrow fly, knowing in advance it would not hit the target for the Nephilim were incredibly fast and once warned, would not allow themselves to be pierced by an arrow. She heard the blows as Gale grappled with the larger of the two creatures. Katniss leapt to an inhuman height and connected her heel against the side of the beast's head, a blow that would have shattered a human being's cranium and likely separated the head from the neck but this creature only staggered back, catching Katniss' other leg by the knee and flinging her into the bushes.

Katniss gasped as the branches scraped her face and neck, her shoulder landing against the rock face. She turned quickly and pulled out her short blade, slicing blindly at the vegetation around her. The creature was upon her again as she swung her blade outward, slicing the front of his tunic open, a spurt of blood landing on the front of her jacket. He looked down in shock, a snarl escaping his lips at the sight of so much blood. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction of the Nephilim, Katniss leapt again, this time bringing her boot down at an angle against his shin, satisfied when she heard the snapping bone and howl of the beast. Before he could take in his defeat, Katniss lifted her short knife and brought it down resolutely to pierce his heart. A familiar light exploded from the point of impact and Katniss stepped back to allow it to envelop the creature until it faded and the spot where the beast knelt was suddenly empty, the short knife clattering noisily to the ground.

Stretching her hand out, Katniss willed the knife to return to her, catching it when it flew into her palm and sprinted to where Gale was cornered by not one but three Nephilim. She pulled out an arrow and cocked it, cursing as she saw that their arrows of earlier had not pierced the giant's hearts. Gale used the momentum from the hurtling body of one Nephilim to knock a second one on his feet. However, the third monster brought his giant fist down on the side of Gale's head. Katniss let out a scream when she saw her companion collapse and she let fly the arrow, watching as this time it found its mark and the Nephilim dissolved into a bath of light.

She turned her attention to the other two who were coming to their feet, a slow smile spreading across both of their faces. They were devastatingly handsome; one giant shook the dirt out of his light brown curls, his emerald green eyes bursting with the light of the full moon. His partner was similar in appearance but bronze in color and reminded Katniss of the pictures she had seen of Achilles, son of Peleus. It was whispered among the Hunters that many of the Greek heroes of the Trojan War had been Nephilim. The fairer one practically salivated as he slowly appraised Katniss, letting his eyes rake lasciviously over her body. "We know you, Katniss Everdeen. You are a scourge to our kind." He laughed lustily at her as he cracked his bloodied knuckles. "Marvel, we will have our sport with this one, won't we?"

Satisfied that he was as clean as he could get under the circumstances, Marvel glanced nervously around him. "I relish the thought of hearing this one scream, Cato, but what of the humans?"

Cato gave a derisive laugh. "We will find them soon enough and complete our business. In the meantime, we have a tasty morsel here to enjoy."

Katniss felt her fear fueling her rage as she crouched in a fighting stance. "Why can't you things ever just die quietly? It's always a fucking soliloquy with you." She pulled a second knife from her belt. She had barely balanced it in her hand when she felt a heavy weight tackle her from behind, knocking the knives and the wind from her. She felt like every bone in her back had shattered into a million pieces as she barely brought her arms up to protect her chest and head from the impact the Nephilim's body as they crashed to the ground. She felt the rumble of the creature's laughter reverberate through her body, the burst of hot air exploding across her cheek.

"Why do you listen to us?" Cato laughed as he approached her. The Nephilim behind him pulled her backwards by her arms until she was kneeling down before Cato. She struggled but her arms were effectively pinned behind her. She jerked her head back, connecting with the beast's nose, a wail of pain and anger exploded into the air but still he didn't let go.

"Feisty woman! I think you cracked Brutus' nose." said Cato appreciatively as Brutus let out a stream of swear words both modern and ancient. "We like our women with spirit."

Katniss heaved in anger and was completely unprepared for Cato's boot as he sent it into her side. She could swear she felt something rupture inside of her and bit her lip until she drew blood to keep from crying out.

Cato knelt down, bringing his face directly before hers. "Don't worry, when we are done with you, you'll be squealing like a pig. There is a lot of Nephilim blood on those hands of yours."

Katniss recovered from the pain long enough to gather a wad of spit and launch it into Cato's eye. If she was going to die, it was best if they got angry enough to off her quickly.

Cato wiped his face and then, with the slick palm, landed a loud slap on Katniss' face, the force strong enough to loosen a molar. Katniss' vision started to swim with the impact and the pain of the blow to her side and she began to truly fear that she would not escape this impasse. She cast a glance over at Gale's unmoving form and she began to hope that he was dead. There was no end to the cruelty these Nephilim could unleash on a Demon Hunter.

Her morbid thoughts were interrupted by a cry from Marvel as Katniss lifted her eyes just in time to see him slump to the ground. Before Cato could recover from the shock, a creature at least as large as him picked him up off of the ground and with a roar, launched him over the cliff and into the freezing Hudson River.

As if in slow motion, he turned and Katniss' blurred vision was riveted by the most incredible sight she had ever seen. It was clearly a Nephilim – tall as the tallest among them and broad-shouldered, the fabric of his black t-shirt stretching almost painfully over the muscles of his chest. His blond hair whipped carelessly in the biting wind but it was his eyes that arrested her. They were the bluest eyes she had ever seen – eyes that called to mind the endless blue of a summer day, the deep lapis lazuli of a fine Indian sari. He was something beyond beautiful. He stalked towards her with determination and Katniss forgot to feel fear - despite his attributes, he did not have the edge of ferocity the other's possessed. She was overcome by his perfection, every cell in her battered body coming to attention and despite the pain and her fading consciousness, she had never felt so much need in her long life.

Brutus released his grip on her so suddenly, she slumped to the ground, her head slamming into the pavement. As the world around her faded to black, all she could make-out was a cry of agony and Brutus' protests against the stranger.

"Peeta, what the hell are you doing?" screeched Brutus as the blows resounded through the air, the end of the question soon swallowed by a thick crack followed by a deafening silence that merged with the dark fog that creeped over Katniss, causing her to fade to black with the name of her savior on her lips.

**Plot twist:**

**_Katniss wakes in her apartment, cleaned and wrapped in bandages, a worried Gale sitting close by. She is completely confused by the mystery of this Nephilim's appearance and, even more, by him saving her and Gale from Cato, Brutus and Marvel. Everything she's known until now about the Nephilim is called into question. She sets out to solve this mystery._**

**XXXXX**

**A million thanks to all of the lovely ladies who volunteered to co-write this fic with me. I must give a tremendous round of thanks to my co-moderator and author of Chapter 2, Miss Maia (thesagaciousowl) who made sure my world building made sense. Also, I must ever bow before the divine SolasVioletta, beta par-excellence who tolerates my demands and is just brilliant at what she does. I send a giant hug also to Plumgal1899 and Famousfremus whose enthusiasm and willingness to read through my fic and offer suggestions made this chapter and this endeavor so much better.**

**If you'd like more information about the world within which Katniss functions, check out the Glossary post in this collection. It will answer all your questions about who all the supernatural creatures are in this story.**

**Disclosure: While I do use actual locations, I've altered the physical topography of The Institute. There are no rocky outcroppings at the foot of the buildings. I also modeled The Institute on the actual campus of Stevens Institute of Technology, which is really a gorgeous campus in the middle of the adorable town of Hoboken. However you can't blame Katniss and Gale from fondly remembering the colorful history of the town.**

**Inspired by a mish-mash of the following: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Incarnations of Immortality (Piers Anthony), Mortal Instruments; Gem of Souls was suggested to me by Miss_Maia.**

**I don't anything related to The Hunger Games Trilogy.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Titania had this idea for a fic jam and I thought, "Whoa, it can be a fun AU!". But then she told me the theme and, honestly, I was very surprised. And then I thought, "Whoa, this WILL BE a great AU!"**

**What can I say? I'm a gamer girl and a comic books' fan.**

**Always an honor to work with you, ladies.**

**- thesagaciousowl (Miss_Maia)**

**XXXXX**

Katniss Everdeen - Demon Hunter

Chapter 2 - The Hunted Savior (by Miss_Maia)

One thing was certain: she was going to die.

Katniss blinked her eyes, but she could only see what was going on to her left. Blood, bodies, swords and inhuman creatures clashed in the eerie moonlight in what seemed a millenia ago. After so long, Katniss sometimes wondered if she had dreamed it all but she had only to look at her battle -scarred body to know that it was, indeed, real.

She wanted to search for her sister. She wanted to warn her, to call out, but every attempt suffocated her dry throat. "Run!" she wanted to scream.

Only a weak, feeble whimper flowed from her mouth.

That was the day her life had changed: the day her parents succumbed to the northern swords, the day she was taken prisoner with the other women. It was her last day on Earth as a mortal.

It was over before it had barely begun. For a moment all was silent, too quiet to be true. The sky opened and a blinding light descended on her and then she understood: death was there.

"Run." The word was still sealed in her mouth.

The light faded and that was when she saw him.

The most beautiful eyes she had ever seen blew life into her again.

Katniss blinked and her heart stopped when a familiar pair of blue eyes stared back at her. She tried to get up, but the simple movement sent bolts of pain throughout her body.

"Easy there."

Katniss shook her head and exhaled. It couldn't be him; the voice was wrong.

"… Katniss?"

"Huh?"

"Can you hear me, Katniss?" Madge repeated, one delicate hand on Katniss' forehead forcing her to lay down again.

"What happened?" Katniss said, but the room around her began to spin and a wave of nausea hit her.

"Is she awake?" Gale said from somewhere behind her, and she knew they were back in her warehouse apartment. His dark hair was covered in a strip of bandage and the smell of mint emanated from his e-cigarette.

"Don't you dare smoke that in here!" Madge hissed sternly, trying to keep her voice low, but the sound made Katniss' head hurt even more.

"She's losing it." Gale ignored Madge's outburst, simply pointing towards Katniss. Her eyes were already too heavy under the dim light.

"You don't even respect your injured partner!" Madge continued her ranting, moving from Katniss' bed to push Gale out of sight.

Katniss heard Gale's remark, but the words didn't make any sense.

As Madge's voice filled her ears again, Katniss was happy to black out: anything was better than hearing those two fight.

**XXXXX**

The next time she woke up, there were no pale blue eyes to greet her. Her apartment was shrouded in darkness thanks to the heavy purple velvet curtains covering the windows. Katniss tried to get up; her first attempt failed as a wave of dizziness pushed her back down. With a deep breath, she tried again, pulling out the IV tucked in her thin vein.

Tip-toeing on socked feet, she searched for a light, finding the switch closest to her bed. One of the five fluorescent lamps turned on, and a quiet creaking was heard from the couch on the other corner of the one-room apartment.

"Katniss?" Madge's sleepy voice drove Katniss' attention to where the other Demon Hunter was sleeping. "Are you feeling better?"

"What happened?" Her voice failed in her dry throat, but Katniss forced it out. "The Nephilim. A blood ritual …" The scenes from the other night came back slowly to her troubled mind, along with a whispered name, Peeta.

Madge stretched, rolling her slender legs off the couch. She smoothed her blond hair from her shoulder and checked the pair of daggers near her foot—none of them slept with their weapons too far away.

Madge Undersee, one of the many Demon Hunters of the Citadel, told Katniss what had happened during the days she had been unconscious. She was her other oldest friend aside from Gale from her days as a mortal.

The Citadel, headquarters of the Demon Hunters for the Northeast region, reported increasing activity in the underworld: rituals, crimes, murderers … the Nephilim seemed to be busier than they had been in ages. What happened to Katniss and Gale, a routine hunt turned deadly, was happening to many of the others.

"It feels like they're hunting us down …" Madge said. "And not the other way around."

Katniss had listened to the tale with an increasing headache. Madge had used many of her years on Earth to study the art of medicine. Katniss knew Madge had taken care of her, but someone else had brought her back home after the fight.

"How did I end up here?" Katniss asked while nursing a mug of green tea, though the liquid was cold by now.

"I don't know," Madge answered perplexed. "We got a message at the Citadel, calling for a healer. Since I knew both you and Gale, I was sent."

Katniss had a suspicion as to who her mysterious savior was, but how would she explain that a Nephilim, a malevolent creature of unspeakable evil, had helped them?

"Where is Gale?" she asked absentmindedly, not smelling tobacco in the air.

Madge flashed her pearly smile. "Thought you'd never ask." She placed both hands over her daggers. "Grab your bow, Katniss. We're going to the Citadel."

**XXXXX**

Katniss hated the Citadel.

The famous headquarter of the hunters didn't appeal to mortals on the outside— being just the old Domino Sugar factory at the very far end of an abandoned industrial complex in Brooklyn . It boasted the look of something that had once been a grand symbol of a robust industrial age but today rotted with neglect into certain oblivion. It was protected by a spell to shield the true nature of the building from human eyes, but for those who could see past the magic, it became a tower of the latest technology, with so many underground levels that it made Katniss' head spin.

She could handle the fact that they spent their lives hiding in underground holes; it was the hunters themselves that filled her with unease.

From all around the world, from countless periods in history and from all races, hunters inhabited the Citadel. New recruits, with the scent of humanity still fresh on them, trained to become demon hunters. More experienced hunters, like Katniss herself, who had seen a few centuries of human disgrace first hand, paraded the corridors and left every night to fulfill their calling. Ancients, hunters from a time when angels, demons, Hunters and Guardians lived freely on Earth; masters who ruled from the top of their inflexible hierarchy.

Katniss hated it all because no matter how old the Hunter was, his eyes would always tell a mournful story filled with sadness and loss. She had enough self-pity without any inquiring eyes or mirrors of her own sorrow. Being a Demon Hunter was a curse. More years on Earth only served to convince her that mortality was truly a blessing from the gods.

"We're going to see Haymitch. He has some news," Gale finished his sentence with a newly acquired habit of rubbing his index finger and thumb, and it was clear to Katniss and Madge that he wanted a cigarette. Madge held his hand firmly while they entered the elevator to Haymitch's office.

The reek of alcohol and faint smell of dry vomit greeted them.

"Haymitch!" Gale yelled, knocking loudly on the door as he entered the room. Madge took a step back when she noticed the state of the once imposing office. The dark mahogany walls and table had seen their last polish ages ago. Piles of crumpled documents littered the floor, and a whiteboard filled with photos seemed the only usable thing between those walls.

"What do you want?" Haymitch didn't bother to raise his head from his desk to look at Gale.

"Katniss Everdeen is here," the younger man answered, and Haymitch stirred and looked up at the name.

"Oh, sweetheart. Nice to see you're alive."

Katniss rolled her eyes. For reasons she couldn't place, Haymitch had grown fond of her during her training, many decades ago. The fact that she was one of the most efficient hunters in the Citadel also gave her credit.

"What's going on?" Katniss, who had mastered the art of ignoring Haymitch's odor, pointed to the whiteboard on the wall where hunters' names and photos were on it.

Haymitch searched for his flask among the detritus covering his desk and took a long gulp. "Apparently we're not the only ones hunting anymore." Even though he stank of cheap alcohol, his voice was sober. "We lost five good hunters last week. And the numbers keep coming. It's good to see you're okay."

He proceeded to tell them how episodes like the one that happened with Gale and Katniss were spreading through the region. More Nephilims, strong and fearless, surprising new and experienced hunters.

Not everyone had been as lucky as Katniss and Gale.

Katniss decided not to talk about her savior. The way things worked at the Citadel it was kill first, ask questions later and no fraternizing with the enemy.

"What do you think their plan is?" Katniss asked, her fingers running the photos on the whiteboard.

"We have teams trying to capture a Nephilim." Haymitch took a deep breath and pointed at Gale. "The boy here is leading one. You can have another if you want."

Katniss nodded and looked back at Madge, who was still against the doorframe. If she wanted anyone on her team, it would be Undersee. They'd been together since this whole thing had started.

Before she could reply, though, another huntress appeared at the door.

"We got one, old drunk," the huntress said, ignoring the other three people in the room. She threaded her fingers through her short, dirty hair, the sweat splattering Madge's face.

The blonde knew better and simply rolled her eyes.

"Broken arm and a small concussion, but he's ready for the questioning." After accepting Haymitch's nod, the huntress finally spared a glance at the others.

"Hawthorne," she winked at Gale, and Madge could swear Gale blushed at that, "Undersee." Her eyes had locked onto Katniss, but Madge nodded anyway. "Oh, hi brainless."

"Johanna," Katniss offered in a small greeting, since Johanna was everything but pleasant company.

It wasn't a surprise Johanna's team had gotten the Nephilim. The big surprise was that he was still alive at all ...

**XXXXX**

"Katniss!" Finnick Odair, one of the hunters from Johanna's team, flashed her his signature bright, smile as soon as she entered the interrogation room, followed by Gale and Madge. Johanna hung back by the door to speak to Haymitch.

"Hey, Finn," she greeted him, awarding him one of her rare smiles.

Katniss and Finnick bonded as soon as she was recruited. They had something in common that few hunters shared: a beloved one turned into a Guardian. While Katniss chose to sacrifice herself for her sister, Finnick endured the hard path of Demon Hunter in the place of his fiancée.

But all that happened far too long ago.

"Why don't you put your shirt on?" Gale mumbled while passing the bare-chested Finnick.

Finnick promptly ignored him, provoking a small smile from Madge.

Katniss stepped closer to the copper-haired man, doing her best to subdue the arguing that had already broken out between Gale and Madge—they fought with the same passion they loved.

"What did you guys get?" Katniss asked once she and Finnick were closer to the glass wall and far from the couple.

Finnick took a deep breath and stared at the one-way glass, where the captured Nephilim was locked inside. Three hunters guarded the room, and another two by the door.

"We don't know yet. He says they're planning something big and nothing can stop them." Finn snorted at the last phrase, looking back at the arrested half-demon.

Katniss followed his gaze, seeing the prisoner for the first time. Dark hair and dry blood covered his chest, but one could see how big and muscular he was.

Like her savior.

She shook her head to force the images of those blue eyes from her mind.

"Might all just be bullshit," she said, looking back at Finnick. "But Gale and I stumbled upon a blood ritual the last time we were out. Maybe they are planning something."

"Whatever they're doing is not good." The handsome hunter stretched his long arms, tapping soundlessly at the glass. "Are you staying or going back to your hole?"

"You mean my apartment?" She laughed quietly and nodded.

"It could be dangerous, you know?" His green eyes showed concern. The tale of how Katniss Everdeen had been knocked out by Nephilims had already spread through the Citadel.

"I can handle myself." She flashed him one last small smile and headed for the elevators.

Katniss preferred to forget the voice in her head saying that, if danger arrived, a certain savior might be there to help her.

**XXXXX**

His body emanated heat while she clung to his chest for dear life. Warm blood bathed them, and mutilated corpses surrounded them in eerie silence. Katniss knew her nails dug painfully into his shoulders and chest, but she couldn't bring herself to get away from him.

"What happened?" she whispered, though she knew.

That was her first night as a hunter, a demon killer.

He didn't reply, his strong arms cocooning her from the fear and death that surrounded them. He had helped her, ensuring that none of the creatures would harm the fledgling hunter.

In more than one way, he had saved her.

In a twist of memories and desires, the woods around them faded, but his arms continued to hold her close. Her back hit a soft mattress, and his mouth found hers. It was a demanding, exploring kiss, filling her mouth entirely, and she fought for air when he pulled away.

Katniss opened her thighs to wrap them around his waist, searching for him as his eyes peered down into her soul; the same eyes that haunted her dreams now lived in her secret desires.

He grabbed her naked legs and locked her closer to him, inciting the longest moan Katniss had ever allowed to pass from her lips. His member pulsed with want between them, ready to possess her body the same way he already possessed her mind.

He didn't go further though, and she groaned in frustration, her inner thighs soaked with her need for him.

"Tell me," he whispered into her ear, his nose tickling her sweaty neck. "Tell me that you want me."

Her silver eyes shot open, meeting his ocean blue. Her resolution faded into doubt, and she turned her head, bucking her hips to find him. His huge muscular form shook, a hiss escaping between gritted teeth, but he forced himself to stay still.

"I can't," she lied quietly, her pride greater than her desire.

One hand ran down her body, stopping briefly to tease her nipples before mercifully falling upon her sex. When she lifted her hips to meet his touch, he withdrew his hand, running the wet tip of his cock teasingly along her slit.

"Tell me," he demanded again, wiping away a tear of frustration glimmering on her olive cheek.

"I do," Katniss whimpered, another hand sliding down to pinch her breasts. She moaned softly but admitted, "I need you."

"No." He rested his hand beside her head, locking his dilated pupils on her quicksilver stare. "You want me."

She nodded frantically and moaned his name in sweet relief when he finally pushed into her.

"Peeta!"

Katniss woke up to the sound of her own ragged breathing. Late afternoon light threatened to seep in behind the curtains of her apartment, and her alarm hadn't rung yet.

She tried to control her breath, feeling the sweat through her t-shirt and on her forehead. Her hand on her chest heaved at an unhealthy rate, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Katniss closed her eyes to calm herself from the incredibly realistic dream, but it only resulted in images of Peeta, the Nephilim who saved her, and for a reason she couldn't tell, he was somehow connected with the day she became a Demon Hunter. The images flashed less vividly, though her body was responding with the same intensity, making her clench her thighs together to relieve the building ache in her center.

"Ah, ah …" She buried her moans in her pillow, the small contact of her skin on her worked up clit being almost too much. She opened her eyes once more, checking how long she had before the sundown.

Swallowing thickly and surrendering to one of the few pleasures she had in life, Katniss slipped one hand in her underwear. Another unrepressed moan escaped her at the touch, her hips rushing to meet her fingers. She would be embarrassed at how wet the dream of the Nephilim had made her, but right now she was beyond caring; she focused her mind on the last bits of her dream, the full sensation of Peeta's cock slipping into her waiting walls.

Katniss got on her hands and knees, giving more space to her skilled fingers to move freely in and out of her entrance. She hadn't been with a man in so long that her body was hungry for her intimate touch. She hissed into the dark room once her fingers curled and pressed her walls, in the way she imagined Peeta would do.

He would fuck her from behind, make her kneel and beg, the things she had never done with anyone.

Drops of sweat covered her pillow and she turned once more, needing the friction to run up to her throbbing apex.

She needed him; she desperately needed that dream to continue and see those eyes erupting in pleasure as he exploded inside of her, carrying her with him in his release.

"Oh God!" she panted, the image of his face contorted in painful pleasure making her finger trace larger and faster arcs on her clit.

"You want me," his voice resounded in her mind at the same time she reached her peak, her hips arching off the bed and her head tossing on the mattress.

And just like her dream, his name flowed unbidden from her lips, filling the air with her toxic truth.

She wanted him.

Her heart slowed down after her orgasm subsided, her body growing limp and numb on the soaked sheets.

The alarm went off and Katniss didn't move, too sated to care.

She needed to discover who this Nephilim was and why he wouldn't leave her thoughts.

**XXXXX**

"I think it's another blood ritual," Gale murmured next to her as he and Katniss looked down from her perch on the roof at the circle of five people on the darkened alley.

The group was hidden by spells and dark magic, and given the last time they had encountered a similar ritual, they were extra careful in their approach.

"One of them is holding something," Katniss whispered as she held her bow in her hands, but wouldn't make a move without being sure they could outfight the group. "Can you see what it is?"

"I don't know," Gale answered and grabbed a pair of binoculars from his small backpack. "Just a second."

Situated on a high roof, Katniss continued to stare down at the men in the alley, but she also kept checking the surroundings. Maybe her savior would be ready to intervene again? She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't disappointed each time he did not appear.

"Holy shit," Gale said in horror as the chant under them increased.

"What?" Katniss looked back but saw nothing extraordinary. Five guys, a pentagon … they could attack and knock them down by themselves. Only two Nephilim.

"Katniss." Gale pointed to the bundle one of the Nephilim held close to his chest. "That's a baby."

Gripped with terror for the child, it took her less than a second to fire the first arrow; and it was still too late for her taste.

She fell on them like a killer shadow, piercing her first steel arrow in the neck of the tallest Nephilim. While he fought for breath and gagged in his own blood, Gale jumped on the second Nephilim and sliced open his neck from one ear to another. The explosion of light from their wounds announced their destruction, lighting up the alleyway.

Good. Now they wouldn't be getting up again like the last time.

The other three were humans, and ran from the hunters like scared ants.

Gale watched as the half-demon fought for the last seconds of his life, with the bundle still between his burly arms. He carefully took the child from the dying creature, the ashes of his body blowing in the chilly wind when he finally succumbed.

"Is it …" Katniss trembled, the memory of dying children engraved in her mind for eternity ever since she watched her village burn with them inside.

A tiny, shrill cry resounded in the alley and Gale offered the baby a smile.

"Look, Catnip." He approached her, the baby screaming loudly in his arms. "It's a little girl."

Katniss refused to stare too much at the child, her heart shattering at the simple sight of it.

"This wasn't a normal sacrifice. It's just a baby," she said while still looking around, part of her waiting for a shadow to jump out at them.

"Let's go back to the Citadel. They'll know what to do," Gale commanded, but his eyes were still on the little girl, who had stopped crying to look curiously at Gale's fingers dancing in front of her.

Katniss refused to touch the girl as they crossed the city, her hands shaking with anger. It was just a baby girl. They were going to kill her!

The Citadel was emptier than usual that night, with most of hunters were out on the streets. Katniss and Gale strode the grey corridors under curious eyes, since Gale carried the sleeping baby carefully in his arms.

"Oh, you got one too!" Johanna greeted them when they entered the central room, a place reserved for discussions and meetings. Katniss raised one eyebrow and watched intrigued as Johanna approached Gale, delicately caressing the baby's soft hair.

It was the most loving act Katniss had ever seen from the woman.

"Teams are reporting sacrifices," Johanna said in explanation as she pointed Gale to another room. As he left with the baby, Johanna turned to Katniss. "Babies, children … those are targets, too."

Katniss' anger bubbled in her chest once more, and she took a deep breath before answering Johanna, noticing other hunters entering the room. "Why are they doing this?"

Johanna shrugged and curled her fingers around her hand-axe, a constant presence at her waist. "Haymitch and other ancients are having a meeting right now. Something big is up."

"Where are they?" Katniss felt uncomfortable with more hunters entering the room, talks of teams who hadn't been able to prevent the ritual making her feel sick.

"Follow me."

They headed out the central room, riding different elevators to reach the upper levels of the tower.

Something unsettling in the air made the hair at the nape of her neck stand on end as she and Johanna approached a more exclusive meeting room. Johanna's finger were knuckles went white from holding her axe's handle, which showed she also felt the strange tension.

It only got worse when they reached the door, guarded by two hunters. They did not demonstrate the usual calm protocol required of them, their eyes running everywhere in the pale hall.

"Is Haymitch in there?" Katniss asked and one of the guards, a young recruit, nodded.

"He isn't alone," he whispered hurriedly, as if it held more information.

Katniss' hand ran to her neck, and she took a deep breath to steady her pulse.

"Something is wrong," Katniss said.

Johanna discreetly agreed.

"No one is allowed," the other guard, a more experienced hunter, said and made a move to stand between the women and the door.

"I'm a squad chef," Johanna said bitterly. "I have clearance to go wherever I want." She pushed the guard aside and opened the door without any further objections.

Katniss inhaled a sharp breath and instinctively took a step back. Johanna stood still, her eyes fixed on the figure in the center of the room.

Haymitch sat at the end of the table with four of the oldest hunters of the Citadel, masters and ancients from the most remote days of humanity's earliest existence.

All five of them were in the grip of a barely disguised awe in the presence of the fifth being in the room.

Her form shone, even though there was no strong light. Flawless, ebony colored skin seemed to shimmer if stared at too long; her eyes were the pitchest black Katniss had ever seen, and she felt she could stare into that blackness for hours.

Her throat finally relaxed enough to allow air to pass, and Katniss felt tears stinging her eyes, because the last time she had seen eyes like that, so deep, pure and knowing, was when she had seen her sister.

She was face to face with a Guardian.

Johann's finger uncurled from her axe, and she was visibly filled with a sense of peace.

Guardians didn't dwell, or even interact, with Demon Hunters. They were on opposite ends, living different lives, but with similar purposes. Guardians were heavenly creatures that existed to preserve the goodness in humanity. They dealt with demons when necessary, but preferred to maintain their battle with principalities, and not something as common as Nephilims. Guardians had the morals and duty of perfection, not the doubts and fears of Hunters.

They were the purest beings to step on Earth, close to the gods as angels themselves and wise creatures of nature.

The question was: what was a Guardian doing there?

"They're both handling it well," Haymitch said nervously, breaking the spell that held both Katniss and Johanna under the eyes of the Guardian. "The Hunter who received our guest pissed himself."

The tall, beautiful Guardian didn't flinch at Haymitch tasteless comment. Katniss thought the Guardian didn't expect much more from simple Demon Hunters.

"What …? " Katniss cleared her throat, but her voice was still weak when she spoke. "What is going on?"

The Guardian squared her shoulders, and suddenly she seemed taller than everyone in the room.

"My name is Seeder, Guardian of the Northern Plains and Keeper of Cultures."

Katniss didn't pay attention to a word she said, because the tone of her voice soothed her mind to complete stillness.

"I came here with a message," Seeder continued, turning her attention to the older hunters, as if she knew Katniss wouldn't be able to reply.

"The fun part comes now," Haymitch hedged and fished his flask from his jacket.

"The Guardians need help." Seeder's soothing voice had an edge of humanity, almost breaking at the end. "We haven't been hunted in centuries. But in the past two full moons, we've lost companions."

The air was thick again when Katniss spoke, "Who?"

"Run." Images from her dream crept over her eyes, but she blinked them away.

"Not the one you seek," Seeder replied steadily, focusing her eyes on Katniss. She knows, Katniss thought.

"The children, the Guardians … it's all a plan." Haymitch got up from his chair. "Demons and Nephilims are hunting pure souls. The children are a test, but most of them aren't pure enough."

"They plan to create Gems of Souls, portals between our world and the world of demons."

The world of demons. Hell itself.

"The sacrifices we've been trying to interrupt …" Johanna closed the door behind her and Katniss, and spoke directly to Haymitch. "They were searching for pure souls in the children."

"Pure souls? In New York? Of course they'd go after the Guardians." Haymitch seemed to be calm, but Katniss knew the Guardian was unsettling every Hunter in the Citadel.

"Why are you coming to us for help?" Katniss knew the answer before she finished the question.

"Because, Katniss Everdeen." Seeder stood, confirming that she indeed was taller than all the hunters in the room. "There are none better at hunting demons than your kind. There are more of them and their bastard offspring than there have been in ages. Guardians can't take them all alone."

"We can't take any chances." Haymitch also stood, followed by the four hunters by his side. "We must kill every Nephilim on sight."

Seeder nodded and Johanna, Haymitch and the others agreed with assensting murmurs.

Katniss had already exited the room when the thought exploded across her mind.

Peeta!

**XXXXX**

**Plot twist: So Peeta is somehow connected to Katniss' first night as a Demon Hunter. It will be up to the lovely plumgal1899 to take it from here. Thank you for reading and an extra special thank you to SolasVioletta for doing an exceptional job beta-ing this fic.**


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